THIS IS PRETTY POWERFUL STUFF. IT CAN CHANGE A STATE'S BOUNDARIES, FUEL IMMIGRATION,
AND BANKRUPT COFFERS.
AND DESPITE ITS PLACID FLOW,
THESE WATERS ALSO CAUSE QUITE A
BIT OF TURBULENCE IN ILLINOIS'
ECONOMY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE.
HI. I AM JIM WILHELM. IT WAS AN IDEA THAT DATED BACK
TO THE FRENCH EXPLORER JOLIET.
BUILD A CANAL LINKING LAKE
MICHIGAN TO THE ILLINOIS RIVER.
BUT IT WAS AN IDEA THAT CHANGED
A NATION AND LITERALLY THE SHAPE
OF THIS STATE.
ORIGINALLY, ILLINOIS' NORTHERN BORDERS WAS TO HAVE BEEN IN LINE WITH THAT OF INDIANA'S. BUT
THAT WOULD HAVE PLACED ANY
FUTURE CANAL AND UNDE THE
AUSPICES OF TWO GOVERNING
BODIES.
ILLINOIS' BORDER WAS EX TENDED
NORTH WARD.
A CANAL WAS NEEDED BECAUSE
UNLIKE TODAY, THE UPPER SECTION
OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER WAS
UNNAVIGABLE BY STEAMBOAT.
IT WAS CHOKED WITH HUNDREDS OF
SMALL ISLANDS, NUMEROUS RANDZ,
AND SHALLOW AREAS THAT WOULD
SOMETIMES DRY UP DURING THE
SUMMERTIME.
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO TRAVEL A PORTION OF THE ILLINOIS-MICHIGAN CANAL BEGINNING AT IN A TOWN
THAT DIDN'T EXIST UNTIL AFTER
THE CANAL WAS BUILT.
IT WAS HERE AT THE PORT OF
LASALLE THAT STEAMBOATS WOULD
TRANSFER CARGO AND PASSENGERS
GOING BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH.
YOU CAN STILL SEE THE BASIN WHERE THE CANAL BOATS ONCE LINE UP AGAINST THE BANK LOADING,
UNLOADING OR WAITING FOR THE
CANAL TO UNFREEZE IN THE SPRING.
IT WAS A BUSY PLACE DURING THE
WARMER MONTHS.
BACK FROM THAT BASIN, STEAMBOATS COMING UP FROM THE SOUTH WERE BRINGING PRODUCE AND RETURNING
RAW GOODS AND FINISHED PRODUCTS.
LOCKINGS WERE HAPPENING DAY AND
NIGHT, WAREHOUSES LINED THE
BANKS, NEW INDUSTRIES SPRANG UP,
ALL INN A TOWN THAT DIDN'T EVEN
EXIST BEFORE THE CANAL.
TODAY LASALLE IS ALSO HOME TO
THE ONLY RESTORED LOCK ON THE
CANAL.
BETWEEN HERE AND THE 96 MILES TO
CHICAGO, THERE WERE 15 OF THOSE
LOCKS, HANDLING A TOTAL
ELEVATION CHANGE OF 140 FEET.
THE LOCKS WERE OPERATED BY HAND,
AND IT TOOK ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO
LOCK A BOAT THROUGH.
AND THE DIMENSIONS OF THE LOCK
PRETTY MUCH DETERMINED THE SIZE
OF THE BOATS.
THEY WERE ABOUT 17 AND A HALF
FEET WIDE AND ABOUT 100 FEET
LONG.
BUT THIS WASN'T THE ONLY BOOM
TOWN.
CHICAGO'S POPULATION GREW 600%
THE FIRST TEN YEARS THE CANAL
WAS OPEN.
MOST OF THE GOODS BEING SHIPPED
NORTH WENT THERE TO BE
TRANSFERRED TO SHIPS HEADING
EAST.
NOW, NEW YORK AND NEW ORLEANS
WERE CONNECTED.
BUT THE CANAL DIDN'T JUST CHANGE A FEW TOWNS. IT CHANGED ILLINOIS' SOCIAL MAKE UP
CONSTRUCTION ON THE CANAL BEGAN IN 1836, AND TWO YEARS LATER MORE THAN 2,000 PEOPLE, MOST OF
THEM IMMIGRANTS, WERE WORKING ON
THE CANAL.
IT WAS A TOUGH LIFE, AND THE PAY
WAS ONE DOLLAR A DAY AND
SOMETIMES A GILL OF WHISKEY
WHICH WAS ABOUT FOUR OUNCES.
IT TOOK TWELVE YEARS TO COMPLETE
THE DIG, AND CONDITIONS WERE
MISERABLE.
MEN WERE WORKING IN LOW LYING
AREAS INFESTED WITH LEECHES,
MOSQUITOS AND SNAKES.
THOUSANDS DIED FROM DISEASES
SUCH ASTHMA LAYER IA AND
DYSENTERY WHICH SWEPT THROUGH
THE CAMPS.
BUT THEY CHANGED MORE THAN JUST
THE PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE.
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, MANY OF
THEM BOUGHT LAND IN THE AREA AND
WENT INTO FARMING.
SINCE SOME OF THEM WERE IRISH,
CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES TRAVELED
THE PROJECT ESTABLISHING
CHURCHES IN THE NEW TOWNS.
WHEN FINISHED, THERE WAS
ECONOMIC BOONE AS JOBS WERE
CREATED ALONG THE CORIDOR.
PEOPLE WERE NEEDED TO SUPPLY THE
BOATS, TO HANDLE CARGO, WORK IN
THE NEW INDUSTRIES OPENING UP,
AND TEAMS WERE NEEDED AS MULE
DRIVERS.
IT TOOK FOUR MULES TO PULL A
CANAL BOAT, AND DRIVERS WALKED
THE MULES ALONG THE TOE PATH.
SINCE THERE WAS ONLY ONE PATH,
WHEN TWO BOATS MET, ONE WOULD
STOP, WHILE THE MULES WOULD HOP
OVER THE ROAD.
HOPPING MADE SURE THE MULES
WOULD NOT BECOME ENTANGLED IN
THE ROPE.
DRIVERS HAD AN UGLY REPUTATION.
THEY WERE FOUL-MOUTHED AND
COMPAT TIVE, FREQUENTLY
UNDERPAID BY CAPTAINS FORCING
THEM INTO A LIFE OF THIEVERY.
BUT NOT ALL OF THEM WERE
SCOWRJS.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
NAMES IN THE OLD WEST ONCE WAS A
DRIVER ON THIS PATH.
WILD BILL HICKOK.
ONE PLACE WHERE HISTORY SEEMS TO
MIRROR THAT OF THE CANALS WHERE
THE TOWN OF AUX SABLE ONCE
STOOD.
HERE A HANDFUL OF HOUSES GREW
INTO A VILLAGE THAT INCLUDED A
SCHOOL, BLACKSMITH, SAWMILL, AND
A DISTILLERY.
DISTILLERY.
AND THERE WAS A BRIDGE WITH A
TRAP DOOR RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
WHICH ALLOWED AREA FARMERS TO
DUMP THEIR WAGON LOADS OF GRAIN
DIRECTLY INTO THE BOATS BELOW.
IT WAS PART OF ONE OF THE
LARGEST INDUSTRIES FORMED BY THE
CANAL, AGRICULTURE.
THE I & M CANAL ALLOWED MORE
ACREAGE TO BE TILLED.
FARMERS NOW GREW MORE THAN THEY
NEEDED SINCE THEY HAD ACCESS TO
MARKETS IN CHICAGO AND NEW YORK,
PLUS WITH THE IMMIGRANT WORKERS
SETTLING DOWN, VAST STRETCHES OF
CENTRAL ILLINOIS WERE PUT TO THE
PLOW.
WELCOME BACK TO AUX SABLE. IT IS OFF TODAY'S BENET TRAIL, AND IT IS ONE OF SEVERAL GHOST
TOWNS THAT DOT THE CANAL'S
BANKS.
IT IS ALSO THE SITE OF ONE OF
ONLY TWO REMAINING LOCK TENDERS
HOMES.
THEY WERE ON CALL 24 HOURS A DAY
DURING THE EIGHT AND A HALF
MONTHS THE CANAL WAS OPEN.
PAY WAS ABOUT $300 PER YEAR
WHICH WASN'T A LOT BACK THEN,
BUT THE HOUSE WAS PROVIDED RENT
FREE.
TO MAKE ENDS MEET, SEVERAL TENDERS RAN BUSINESSES ON THE SIDE.
ONE OF THEM EVEN RAN A TAYLOR
SHOP SO PASSENGERS COULD HAVE
THEIR MEASUREMENTS TAKEN, AND
THEN ON THE RETURN TRIP, THEY
COULD PICK UP THEIR NEW CLOTHES.
AND PASSENGER SERVICE WAS BIG
BUSINESS DURING THE FIRST FIVE
YEARS BEFORE THE RAILROADS CAME.
IT COST ABOUT FOUR DOLLARS PER
PERSON TO TRAVEL FROM LASALLE TO
CHICAGO, AND IT WAS A MORE
COMFORTABLE TRIP THAN TAKING A
STAGECOACH OVER UNPAVED TRAILS.
THE JOURNEY TOOK ABOUT 24 HOURS,
AND IT WAS NOT IDYLLIC.
AT NIGHT, MOSQUITOS SWARMED.
SLEEPING ACCOMMODATIONS WERE THE
FLOOR OR BOARDS ATTACHED TO THE
WALLS.
A HUNDRED PEOPLE COULD BE
CRAMMED ON THESE BOATS, AND THE
WINDOWS WERE KEPT SHUT TO KEEP
OUT THE BAD SWAMP AIR MAKING IT
STIFLING INSIDE.
>> JUST DOWN THE TOE POGHT IN
THE LOCK TENDER'S HOUSE IS
1840'S ENGINEER.
IT IS AQUEDUCT WHICH CARRIED THE
CANAL, THE BOATS, AND THE
TOWPATH OVER ANOTHER BODY OF
WATER.
>> THERE WERE FOUR TYPES OF
THESE STRUCTURES USED ON THE I &
M CANAL.
THE LONGEST WHICH IS STILL
STANDING IS LOCATED IN OTTOWA
SPANNING THE FOX RIVER.
THAT ONE WAS CONSIDERED A MARVEL
IN ITS DAY STRETCHING OVER
400 FEET.
IN ADDITION TO THE HOME AND THE
AQUEDUCT, AUX SABLE IS A
REMINDER THAT THE ECONOMIC BOOM
WASN'T FOREVER.
AFTER THE TURN OF THE CENTURY,
ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES AND
TECHNOLOGY WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE
NORTHERN PORTION OF THE ILLINOIS
RIVER MORE NAVIGABLE, ALLOWING
FOR LARGER LOADS.
THE CANAL WAS CLOSED IN 1933.
>> PEEK TONNAGE OCCURRED IN 1881
WITH ALMOST 300 BOATS TRAVERSING
ITS LENGTH.
IN ADDITION TO OPENING ILLINOIS'
INTERIOR TO FARMING, THE CANAL
ALSO OPENED THE STATE'S VEINS,
COAL COULD NOW BE SHIPPED TO
LARGER MARKETS.
AFTER THE CANAL CLOSED.
SEVERAL TOWNS LIKE AUX SABLE
LOST MAIN REVENUE GENERATOR.
UNLIKE THE TOWN, THE CANAL IS
UNDERGOING A RESURGENCE THANKS
IN PART TO THE EFFORT OF THE
CANAL CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE A MILLION PEOPLE ON THE TRAILS, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO VISIT, WHETHER IT IS
THE GAYLORD BUILDING OR OTHER
BUILDINGS IN LOCKPORT OR ANY OF
OUR CANAL TOWNS, SENECA, LEMONT,
LASALLE, PERU, MANY MORE PEOPLE
ARE COMING TO REALLY EXPERIENCE
HISTORY.
WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE
ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE GAYLORD
BUILDING HERE, AND WE ARE
WORKING ON ANOTHER SITE, A
SECOND SITE TO INTERPRET THE
CANAL OUT IN LASALLE WHICH WE
ARE CALLING THE PORT OF LASALLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE TRYING
TO DO TO PROMOTE TOURISM IN
CANAL CORRIDOR IS GET A BOAT IN
THE WATER AT LA SELL SO PEOPLE
COULD TAKE A RIDE ON A REPLICA
CANAL BOAT AND GET A SENSE OF
WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO TRAVEL BY
CANAL BOAT.
>> BESIDES THE GAYLORD BUILDING
AND OUR PLANS FOR THE PORT OF
LASALLE, WE HAVE ALSO WORKED
ALONG ALMOST 70 MILES OF SCENIC
I & M CANAL TRAIL.
THE TRAIL FOR THE MOST PART IS
ON THE TOWPATH THAT THE MULES
PULLED THE BOATS ON.
AND NOW PEOPLE CAN RIDE AND RIDE
THRAIK THEIR BIKES AND WALK
ALONG THAT TRAIL.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE WORKED
ON IS MARKERS, WITH DIRECTIONAL
INFORMATION, ALSO TRAIL SIDE
EXHIBITS.
AS YOU ARE ENTERING THE CANAL OR
ENTERING FROM VARIOUS PARKING
LOTS, YOU READ A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE CANAL AND WHAT ELSE
THERE IS TO DO IN THE AREA. WE
ALSO HAVE FULL SIZE SILL OWE
WESTS OUT IN THE LANDSCAPE --
SILL OWE , ETCETERA IN THE
LANDSCAPE.
WE TRY TO TELL THE STORY OF
INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE THAT LIVED AND
WORKED ALONG THE CANAL.
BECAUSE, AS A HISTORIAN, I FIND
THE BEST WAY TO GET PEOPLE
INTERESTED IN HISTORY, TALK
ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE.
WE HAVE ABOUT 30SILOHETTES AND
MORE IN THE WORKS.
>> WE ARE A 21 YEAR OLD
NONPROFIT THAT WAS FORMED TO
PROMOTE THE HISTORIC
ILLINOIS-MICHIGAN CANAL.
OUR MISSION IS TO PRESERVE
HISTORY AND OPEN SPACE AND TO
CREATE DESTINATIONINGS WHERE
PEOPLE CAN COME AND HAVE FUN AND
LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE
STATE.
>> HAD IN 1984 I & M'S NATIONAL
HERITAGE CORRIDOR BECAME THE
FIRST FEDERALLY DESIGNATED AREA
IT IS BASICALLY A NEW FORM OF
NATIONAL PARK EVEN THOUGH THERE
IS NO FEDERAL LANDOWNER SHIP.
IDEA WAS LOOK AT LARGE AREAS,
RATHER THAN A PARTICULAR
LOCATION AND TO HAVE FEDERAL
FUNDS THAT CAN GO TO SUPPORT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM,
AND THAT'S REALLY THE FOCUS OF
THE HERITAGE AREAS.
I & M CANAL WAS THE FIRST
HERITAGE AREA.
THERE ARE NOW 23.
WE WERE THE MODEL FOR THIS NEW
IDEA IN PARK MANAGEMENT.
THE CAL CANAL IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT CREATED CHICAGO, IT CREATE TOWNS LIKE MORRIS, LASALLE,
OTTOWA, ALL THESE TOWNS WERE
ORIGINALLY PLANTED BY I & M
COMMISSIONERS.
AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY THE
CANAL BROUGHT PEOPLE AND EASTERN
CAPITAL TO ILLINOIS BEGINNING IN
1836 WHEN CONSTRUCTION BEGAN.
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REASON TO
COME TO NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS,
OR CHICAGO BEFORE THIS CANAL.
>> WELL, I HAVE BEEN DOING
RESEARCH ON THE
ILLINOIS-MICHIGAN CANAL FOR OVER
SIX YEARS, AND IT IS REALLY A
LIFETIME JOB IF I WANT IT.
THERE ARE MANY, MANY STORIES TO
TELL.
EACH ONE OF THESE COMMUNITIES
HAS A RICH HERITAGE IN HISTORY,
AND EACH ONE OF THESE
COMMUNITIES HAS MANY INDIVIDUALS
THAT ALL HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE
STORIES TO TELL.
>> WELCOME BACK TO OUR TRIP
ALONG THE ILLINOIS-MICHIGAN
CANAL.
WE ARE NOW IN LOCKPORT WHICH WAS
THE FIRST OR THE LAST LOCK
DEPENDING ON DIRECTION.
NOT ONLY WAS IT A TOWN PLOTTED
BY THE CANAL COMMISSION, BUT IT
WAS THE LOCATION OF ITS
HEADQUARTERS.
THIS IS THE OLDEST INDUSTRIAL
STRUCTURE ON THE CANAL, AND IT
WAS BUILT AS AWARE HOUSE FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION CREWS.
TODAY, IT HOUSES EXHIBITS
TRACING THE CANAL'S HISTORY, A
RESTAURANT, AND ART GALLERY.
NEARBY WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST
MILLS IN THE STATE.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1852 BY HIRE
NORTON.
IT SERVED AS GRAIN HOUSE, SUPPLY
STORE FOR THE CANAL BOATS, AND
EVEN SERVED AS DORMATORY FOR THE
MULE DRIVERS.
ORIGINALLY THE CANAL WAS
120 FEET WIDE HERE, AND ITS
WATERS LAPPED THE FOUNDATION OF
THE NORTON BUILDING.
TODAY, VISITORS CAN STILL SEE
THE LARGE IRON RING FOR THE
BOATS TO TIE UP AND LOAD AND
UNLOAD THEIR CARGOS.
HERE ARE A FEW QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE I & M CANAL: FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW
CANALS THAT EVER MADE A PROFIT.
CHILDREN WERE SOMETIMES TIED TO
THE BOAT SO THEY WOULDN'T FALL
IN THE RIVER AND DROWN.
AFTER A CHOLERA EPIDEMIC,
CHICAGO SENT A HEALTH INSPECTOR
TO LASALLE TO SCREEN BOTH THE
PASSENGERS AND THE BOAT CREWS.
ARCHER AVENUE, WHICH RUNS THROUGH LOCKPORT, WAS CREATED IN 1830 TO CONNECT THE CANAL
HEADQUARTERS WITH CHICAGO AND
WAS NAMED AFTER WILLIAM ARCHER,
ONE OF THE CAL CANAL
COMMISSIONERS.
AND JUST LIKE WHEN IT FIRST
OPENED, THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
STILL OVER SEES THE CANAL AND
ITS MAINTENANCE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SITES
ALONG THE CANAL OR TO PLAN A
TRIP, CALL THE I & M CANAL
VISITOR'S CENTER (815)838-4830.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
GAYLORD BUILDING EXHIBITS, AND
THE PORT OF LASALLE ATTRACTION,
CALL CANAL CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION
AT (815)588-1100.